Hate Crime What it is and what to do about it

We all have the right to feel safe. No one should feel they are treated badly because of who they are.

What is a Hate Crime?

Hate crime can make people feel afraid, useless and less important than other people.

When we talk about crime and the law we use the word ‘hostility’.

‘Hostility’ is about behaving badly towards another person. It can mean being aggressive; it can mean saying or doing things that are unfriendly and that hurt others. The law looks after people who are treated in a ‘hostile’ way when:

- this is linked to a crime
- this is also to do with:
  - disability
  - gender (if someone is a man, woman or transgender)
  - nationality or race
  - religion
  - or sexual orientation (if someone is straight, gay, lesbian or bisexual)

**Hate crime** is about the bad things someone does to another person, because of who they are.

A court of law can give someone a bigger sentence if they have done a **hate crime**. Has someone said or done something that made you feel bad, upset or angry?

Was this to do with something personal like disability, gender, nationality or race, religion or sexual orientation?

Tell the police:

- Phone 101
- Phone 999 in an emergency
- Click on www.stophateuk.org
- Click on the True Vision website: www.report-it.org.uk

Make sure that you say that you are reporting a hate crime and say why you think it is a hate crime. If you report something to the police, it may not always go to court.

The police need to find enough evidence or information for a court to decide:

- if it is true that a crime has happened
- if the crime was also a hate crime

It is still important to report things to the police, so that they know what has happened.

Information or evidence about hate crime

People can say or do bad things to others in different ways. They can do this:

- face to face Most often the police find evidence or information that someone has said something bad about another person.

Written information like text messages can also be used by the police as evidence to help a court decide if a crime has happened.

If you think a hate crime has happened, then make a record of this:

- Write notes
- Take photos
- Make a recording of yourself talking about what has happened Taking someone to court

The Crown Prosecution Service (also called the CPS) decides if someone should go to court when the police think they have done a crime.

The CPS looks at hate crimes and will ask for a bigger sentence for these.

The CPS gives information and help to people who are victims of crime or witnesses.

Can I get help if I go to court?

Often people will plead guilty and say that they have done a crime. This means that most victims and witnesses do not need to go to court.

Witness Care Units help victims and witnesses when they need to go to court. For example, by giving them an interpreter. People can also talk using a video link or from behind a screen. This is so that they do not have to see the person who the police think has done the crime.

Citizens Advice can also give witnesses help when they go to court.

Click on www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/citizens-advice-witness-service/

Stirring up of hatred - getting people to hate others

This type of crime is about trying to get people to hate others. People can do this using words and threats, in the way they behave, or by using posters and leaflets.

The law looks after people affected by this because of their:

- nationality or race
- religion
- or sexual orientation (if someone is straight, gay, lesbian or bisexual) This is about more than just doing something bad to another person - it is about hate towards a whole group of people.

Who else can help?

Citizen Advice www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Community Security Trust www.cst.org.uk

Disability Rights UK www.disabilityrightsuk.org

Galop www.galop.org.uk

Mencap www.mencap.org.uk

MIND www.mind.org.uk

People First www.peoplefirstltd

Scope www.scope.org.uk